Duplicate Payment Dispute Confusion (Curve / Bank / Merchant) Has Anyone Been Through This?

LunaNala

Hello all, 

I’m hoping someone here can offer some guidance or share similar experiences, because I’m completely stuck and unsure what to do next.

Just over 7 weeks ago, I made a large payment at a shop using a mobile wallet app (Curve/Samsung Pay that links to my bank account. The transaction failed in the shop, so my partner ended up paying with his card. But the next day, the “failed” payment from my account also went through - meaning two payments were taken for the same thing.

Here’s where things have gone wrong:

• The merchant has said from the start that they didn’t receive my payment at all.
• They originally confirmed they had my partner’s payment - and now claim it’s being held because of a dispute.
• The issue is: the dispute is on MY payment, not my partner’s.
• So now the merchant claims they’ve received no payments at all, even though both of us have been charged.
• My bank says they can’t investigate further because the payment was made through Curve/Samsung Pay.
• Curve/Samsung Pay says they’ve raised a chargeback, but it’s been slow, and I haven’t received a clear answer about where the payment actually went.
• Meanwhile, the merchant is treating the order as unpaid, even though a duplicate payment was taken and refusing to replace a damaged item.

So basically:

• Two payments left our accounts - bank statements have been provided to prove, as well as ARNs for both payments showing same dates, same amount, same merchant.
• Merchant claims to have received £0
• One payment is wrongly marked as “disputed”
• Nobody can tell me where either payment is now or why my husband's has been "withheld" when the dispute is on mine, and it's a separate bank account

It’s a significant amount of money, and I’m honestly at a loss at this point. My husband and missing thousands of pounds and are now being told that we have an outstanding balance, even though the statements show that they received the payment twice, so they technically owe us. 

Has anyone dealt with something similar involving Curve or a mobile wallet where the bank, Curve, and the merchant all pointed fingers at each other?

I have a whole folder of copies of emails and evidence, but seem to be getting nowhere. 

Any advice on:

• who should be responsible for tracing the payment? 
  
• is there something else I can do or go to?
• how long these things typically take, or
• how to push for a proper investigation…

…would be massively appreciated.

Thanks in advance -  I’m hoping someone out there has been through this before and got it resolved! 

born_again

In effect you have done all you can for now. Chargeback will take upto 45 days for retailer to respond.
At a guess retailer has both payments, just can't be bothered to check. or their merchant bank has them on hold.

They are not duplicate payments, as far as banks are concerned. As made via different banks.

A duplicate is when both payments have the same auth code & in reality are caused by a bank running same payment tapes twice.

LunaNala

Thank you. The merchant have confirmed worldpay their payment provider have stated my payment cannot be tracked and are now disputing the charge back. Bank has washed their hands off it and closed the dispute I raised directly with them.

The charge back is on my account but they withheld my husband's payment to the merchant aswell. No one can explain why. 

My last hope is samsung pay/curve will sort it but its been 7 weeks of back and forth I have lost all hope. 

I guess next stop if unresolved is citizens advice? 

LunaNala

born_again said:

In effect you have done all you can for now. Chargeback will take upto 45 days for retailer to respond.
At a guess retailer has both payments, just can't be bothered to check. or their merchant bank has them on hold.

They are not duplicate payments, as far as banks are concerned. As made via different banks.

A duplicate is when both payments have the same auth code & in reality are caused by a bank running same payment tapes twice.

Thank you. The merchant have confirmed worldpay their payment provider have stated my payment cannot be tracked and are now disputing the charge back. Bank has washed their hands off it and closed the dispute I raised directly with them.

The charge back is on my account but they withheld my husband's payment to the merchant aswell. No one can explain why. 

My last hope is samsung pay/curve will sort it but its been 7 weeks of back and forth I have lost all hope. 

I guess next stop if unresolved is citizens advice? 

sausage_time

This sounds an awful scenario.  I'm not familiar with Curve but I recall being hesitant about looking at it in the past because of there being too many stakeholders in any on transaction - and this seem to confirm my concern.

One clarification - in the first post you mention a damaged item (in addition to duplicate and missing payments).  Others may comment, but perhaps this gives you additional leverage over the retailer?   I'm no expert in this area, but it does seem a bit of mess.  

born_again

LunaNala said:

born_again said:

In effect you have done all you can for now. Chargeback will take upto 45 days for retailer to respond.
At a guess retailer has both payments, just can't be bothered to check. or their merchant bank has them on hold.

They are not duplicate payments, as far as banks are concerned. As made via different banks.

A duplicate is when both payments have the same auth code & in reality are caused by a bank running same payment tapes twice.

Thank you. The merchant have confirmed worldpay their payment provider have stated my payment cannot be tracked and are now disputing the charge back. Bank has washed their hands off it and closed the dispute I raised directly with them.

The charge back is on my account but they withheld my husband's payment to the merchant aswell. No one can explain why. 

My last hope is samsung pay/curve will sort it but its been 7 weeks of back and forth I have lost all hope. 

I guess next stop if unresolved is citizens advice? 

Who has withheld your husbands payment? Is this a joint account?

LunaNala

sausage_time said:

This sounds an awful scenario.  I'm not familiar with Curve but I recall being hesitant about looking at it in the past because of there being too many stakeholders in any on transaction - and this seem to confirm my concern.

One clarification - in the first post you mention a damaged item (in addition to duplicate and missing payments).  Others may comment, but perhaps this gives you additional leverage over the retailer?   I'm no expert in this area, but it does seem a bit of mess.  

Thank you. The merchant has finally emailed today to say they found it and will sort it. Fingers crossed, it is all goes smoothly from now onwards!

LunaNala

born_again said:

LunaNala said:

born_again said:

In effect you have done all you can for now. Chargeback will take upto 45 days for retailer to respond.
At a guess retailer has both payments, just can't be bothered to check. or their merchant bank has them on hold.

They are not duplicate payments, as far as banks are concerned. As made via different banks.

A duplicate is when both payments have the same auth code & in reality are caused by a bank running same payment tapes twice.

Thank you. The merchant have confirmed worldpay their payment provider have stated my payment cannot be tracked and are now disputing the charge back. Bank has washed their hands off it and closed the dispute I raised directly with them.

The charge back is on my account but they withheld my husband's payment to the merchant aswell. No one can explain why. 

My last hope is samsung pay/curve will sort it but its been 7 weeks of back and forth I have lost all hope. 

I guess next stop if unresolved is citizens advice? 

Who has withheld your husbands payment? Is this a joint account?

Worldpay. Apparently because they investigated my dispute they withheld the other payment whilst looking into it. Very odd to withold money from someone who has not disputed. Two separate accounts as well. Finally, today the merchant has emailed to say they have located the payment and it will be refunded by worldpay. Hoping its smooth sailing from now on.